"What are we do-- where is that going? Why are we going that way? What are we doing there?" the coach shouted — with a few R-rated additions — in his unmistakable, fast-talking Appalachian twang. "Dadgum."

With two days separating his fifth-ranked Seminoles (2-0) from their conference-opening contest against Wake Forest (2-0, 1-0 ACC), Fisher was getting antsy. He wanted to make sure the Seminoles' game plan was being executed flawlessly.

So it came as no surprise that his starting quarterback was taking the brunt of his wrath.

"Sometimes, I'm very tough on him," Fisher admitted later in the day, referring to senior quarterback EJ Manuel. "It's because he's one of those guys that I don't want to walk out of here without reaching his full potential."

Three weeks into his final season leading the Seminoles, Manuel believes he is closer to reaching that point. The relationships he built with Fisher and his teammates during the offseason are big reasons the veteran believes he has grown as a player and will be a better quarterback this year.

"I feel I've played well these past two games," Manuel said. "I feel comfortable in the pocket, I don't feel jittery. My feet aren't wild. My feet are faced to where I need to throw the ball."

In the wake of wins over FCS teams Murray State and Savannah State, Manuel brings the Seminoles into Saturday afternoon's ACC opener at Doak Campbell Stadium with a 77.1 completion percentage and four touchdowns. If the season were to end today, he would have a 66.8 percent career completion rating, good enough for third on the ACC's all-time list.

Additionally, in barely three quarters of work — due to blowouts, he hasn't played a second-half snap this season — he is averaging nearly 175 passing yards a game.

"I definitely see that precision," kicker Dustin Hopkins said. "I see a guy that he knows where to check down to. Very rarely does he have to throw the ball away and when he does, it's probably a good decision."

Fisher credited Manuel's absence last season due to a separated shoulder as a critical turning point in the quarterback's development. Manuel was sidelined for parts of three games, including last year's 35-30 loss at Wake Forest. The Seminoles also lost the other two games he missed.

"I felt it last year, at times, especially when he came back from the injury and he couldn't use his athleticism all the time," Fisher said.

Adjusting to the necessity of staying in the pocket to protect his injured shoulder, mobile Manuel discovered he had to let go of his run-first tendencies and put more faith in his receivers. Lead them into the correct routes and around defensive coverage, and everything will fall together, he reasoned.

During the offseason, he tried to build more trust in his playmakers.

Off the field, Manuel held movie nights and trips to nearby amusement parks with his receivers with the hope of strengthening bonds with them. On the field, he called 7-on-7 practice sessions to improve their timing and rhythm.

"He knows his personnel and what to expect when every guy is out there," receiver Kenny Shaw said. "He knows that he can just throw it up to some guys, and he knows where other guys are going to be at. He loves that."

Fisher loves the fact that he can more comfortably bounce play ideas off Manuel and give him free rein to run what he wants.

"It's, 'What are you comfortable with? What do you feel?' We'll discuss it and do it," Fisher said. "He understands why he's doing things now."

If the Seminoles go far this season, many believe it will be because of Manuel.